Kobe Bryant’s Lower Merion HS Classmates Reveal How Lakers Star Stood Out

The 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA, Kobe Bryant was focused on the future and making it to the NBA.

A second generation hooper, his daddy, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played overseas in Italy and in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets.

Kobe Bryant died at the age of 41 on last Sunday January 26 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, while on his way to a basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. Bryant, his daughter, Gigi Bryant and seven other passengers perished in the helicopter crash.

While many mourn the Black Mamba’s passing, many remember how he celebrated life while he was here.

His impact was felt in the NBA. Every NBA team honored him on jumbotrons. Bryant’s Lower Merion High School honored him this weekend with a video tribute, as well.

Greg Turner was a classmate of Bryant’s at Lower Merion High School. They took chemistry and gym together and would often play pickup games in the neighborhood and during lunch recess.Turner knew that Bryant was different when he witnessed Bryant arrive at school at 6:30 AM to get a parking spot and he’d find Bryant in the gym doing pro workouts. “Kobe would be in the gym working on his game,” said Turner. ”At lunch he would always play basketball, even during gym. We were doing something else and he would be playing ball. After school, he would be in the weight room or gym working on his game. He always took his craft serious. The media shows one side of him, but the Kobe we know was cool, calm, funny, and a kid that just loved Wu Tang, Magic Johnson, and knew he was going to be the best player in the world.”

The buzz that the school was getting while Bryant was there was insane. Every game sold out and lines to get into the gym were around the corner. Think Beatles, think Warriors, think 90s Chicago Bulls.

“The gym was electric like a final four game,” recounted Turner.” We used to have buses jam packed to follow the team across the state to watch them play! Those games were sold out too. We had a chant, “When the Ace is in the house, Oh my God.”

Will Carter had to guard Bryant when he started for Archbishop John Carroll High School in Wayne,PA. As crazy as the gym may have been from a fan’s perspective, it was even crazier having to guard the Lower Merion Ace. “He was a monster and everyone knew it, “ said Carter. “Philly culture was to compete against whoever. So nobody backed down. That’s why he played in Philly a lot. He didn’t want a pass from anyone he wanted to go against the people that wanted to take his spot. The Donnie Carr’s, the Richard Hamilton’s, the Naim Crenshaws.”

Carter ended up coaching at Lower Merion for ten years and assisting Bryant with his camps.

”I was just a player trying to prove myself and was finding my game,” he said. “He was a monster and everyone knew it. Philly culture was to compete against whoever so nobody backed down that’s why he played in Philly a lot. He didn’t want a pass from anyone he wanted to go against the people that wanted to take his spot. The Donnie Carr’s, the Richard Hamilton’s, the Naim Crenshaws.”

Kobe Bryant‘s accomplishments on the court were undeniable.  Both his numbers 8 and 24, are  retired by the Los Angeles Lakers organization at Staples Center.

Bryant is also listed fourth on the NBA’s career scoring list with 33,643 points.

0 Comments